EitherOr
by mySOLEloveisMASEY
Summary: Chuck's been hurt by Nate and Blair's reunion but will things get better with time? NB at beginning but CB are endgame
1. Somebody That I Used to Know

A/N I own absolutely nothing, not Gossip Girl and not Elliott Smith (whose lyrics are my inspiration for each chapter)

Chuck Bass had been betrayed. As if Blair's rejection hadn't stung, now she and Nate were back together. He, along with the rest of the UES had seen the kiss in the snow via Gossip Girl. And while it may have seemed hypocritical for Chuck to get upset, he loved her. Nate didn't love Blair: never had, never will. He had been betrayed by the two people that meant the most to him. Now he knew how Caesar felt. Lily had thrown a dinner party and had _graciously_ seated Chuck next to the "perfect" couple. For the past hour, he had been forced to view his ex-bestfriend flirt with and kiss _his_ lover. He had slowly lost his mind, and when Nate leaned in to kiss Blair for the sixth time, he could no longer take it. He excused himself to the safety of his room. Thirty minutes later, Chuck was cursing the day he gave up suite 1812. Apparently, Blair couldn't bear not having Chuck in the audience of the Nate/Blair love-fest. She refused to accept that he did not want to see her, and had been banging on his door for the past five minutes. Finally surrendering, Chuck rose and answered the door before slinking back towards his bed.

"Enough with the theatrics, Bass! Come Back to the table and visit with the people that care about you."

Chuck couldn't contain his bitter laugh, "I'll gladly return to the table when I only have to see the people that care about me. Namely, Lily, Eric and occasionally .... Serena."

"Really, Chuck? Nate and I still Care about you. Neither of us have seen you lately." And suddenly everything made sense. Lily had planned this whole event as a way to get Chuck to reconcile with his former friends.

"Let me be more succinct. The reason neither you nor Nathaniel haven't seen me is because I have no desire to be around either of you. I'm done with both of you. And, frankly, why does it matter, Blair? You left my life first, and while I'm sure that Nate is unable to keep you satisfied be it mentally or physically; I'm done! You know where the door is.

Blair was shocked, what happened to Chuck not giving up and fighting for her love. "You're just going to give up?"

Chuck took a moment to compose his thoughts. "The games are getting old, Blair. And while I may have had amorous feelings towards you once, your recent involvement with Archibald has reminded me of my role. I'm not supposed to feel anything and I guess you can say that your picturesque kiss hardened every feeling I have. We're no longer Chuck and Blair. Blair and Chuck. I'm Chuck Bass and you're just somebody that I used to know." His sentence punctuated by Chuck slamming his own door shut on his way towards Victrola.

Blair couldn't move. She had never considered this reaction to her relationship with Nate. She figured that Chuck would be upset, fight for her, and finally admit that he loved her. He was not supposed to say that she made him numb and that he never wanted to see her ever again. With this thought, she collapsed into sobs. It had been a dangerous decision, but Chuck had told her that they were inevitable. Maybe they would have been if she had left the situation alone.

Lily found Blair in a heap on the floor. Chuck had stormed off twenty minutes ago and Lily wanted to check on Blair. "Blair, dear, Charles has had a lot on his mind recently. I'm not excusing his behavior, but he needs time to sort things out. After everything that has happened over the past few months, he has been trying to be a better person. He wants to be a better person for you. He's growing up and learning how to be a man. Give him time, he loves you. Did you know that he talks in his sleep?" Blair lifted her head, and slightly nodded. " Recently he tends to repeat the phrase Blair Bass. So you see, he loves you but right now he needs you to gradually come back into his life. Start all over and I can guarantee that one day his dreams, as well as yours, will come true."


	2. Waltz 2

A/N I own absolutely nothing, not Gossip Girl and not Elliott Smith (whose lyrics are my inspiration for each chapter)

Chuck had always been a master at observing people. He relished in his abilities to see through people's masks and therefore play up their weaknesses. But for the first time in his life, he wished that he didn't know how to read people. Lily was throwing a charity gala in the Palace Ballroom and the creme de la creme of society was there, including Nate and Blair. Chuck had resolved to let go of his beloved if Nate made her happy. To the untrained eye Blair was euphoric and dripping with love. But, Chuck Bass knew Blair Waldorf better than anyone else and all he saw was a girl trying desperately to be happy within her new life. She wanted stability and an easy relationship, but the price was her happiness.

Blair could feel Chuck watching her, and she was apprehensive of what he saw. She knew that he could always see through her disguise and that was the absolute last thing that she needed right now. Nate was sweet and caring but her relationship with him lacked passion. Despite what she had said, there were no sparks with Nate. He was vanilla ice-cream: sweet but bland at the same time. She wanted excitement and adventure and as much as she wanted her happy ending, it was starting to lose its appeal.

While Nate and Blair danced to a slow waltz, the perfect-looking couple, Chuck decided that he needed to pay his dear old sister a visit. "Sis, how wonderful to see you?" after years of "friendship" Chuck's smirk still had a tendancy to scare Serena.

"What do you want, Chuck?" his name spilling from her lips as a curse. She knew exactly what he wanted but she relished in torturing him.

"I was wondering if you've been paying attention to your supposed best-friend. She seems to be on the verge of a breakdown again. But, I'm sure that you're doing all you can to help her, by the way how is the European boyfriend of yours? I'm surprised he's not here, lately you can't have one without the other."

"Let it go, Chuck. Blair is happy right now, don't screw it up by planting doubts. She is enjoying a drama free relationship, I know that's hard for you to understand so just leave her alone." Serena was tired of the drama between Chuck and Blair and her bestfriend seemed happy. Sure she wasn't as happy as the week after the VanDerBass wedding, but she was satisfied with her rekindled romance and Serena was not going to let Chuck ruin it.

"Obviously you're blind. She is barely holding it together. It's written all over her face, surprising how her best friend can't see how unhappy she really is."

"Just stop Chuck! She's not your girlfriend, you have made that point crystal clear. So, stop obsessing over her, she's not yours and that's your own damn fault." Serena walked off towards the happy couple and left Chuck stewing in his stupidity.

She was absolutely right, it was his own fault that she had run back to Nate. He should have figured it out sooner, they had done this once why not once more. It was hard for him to believe that maybe Blair was happy, he just didn't want to see it. Could his perception of her be blinded by his broken heart. Why wouldn't she want something easy? He had put her through enough pain to last her a lifetime, now he had to accept the consequences of his actions. Shaking his head he retreated to the Palace penthouse a lost little boy. He had told Blair earlier that Nate and Blair's reunion reminded him of his role, now he truly felt that it was the only position he would ever hold. He didn't deserve a happy ending, but it was all that he wanted. No that wasn't true, all he wanted was a happy ending with Blair.

Blair watched Chuck retreat from the gala without his mask of indifference. For a fraction of a second, she dropped her own mask and displayed her sadness. But she couldn't deal with that now. He needed time to accept his faults, once he grew up she could be there for him again. Right now she needed comfort and Nate offered that in spades. So while her heart was with Chuck, she was determined to stay with Nate for the time being.


End file.
